Material Properties Every piece of teak Gloster uses originates from plantations. About 80% of this is from government owned plantations on the Indonesian island of Java and the balance from FSC certified plantations outside Indonesia. Contrary to popular belief, teak furniture does not require any special maintenance routine or any additional protection apart from occasional cleaning. Left to age naturally outside, teak will gradually change to a soft, silver-grey as the pigments in the surface layer of the wood begin to fade away. We recommend that you allow your teak furniture to weather naturally this way and simply clean thoroughly once or twice a year with
Gloster Teak & Upholstery Cleaner.
Teak furniture may also benefit from an occasional light sanding to remove any raised grain and restore a smooth finish to the surface. Under no circumstances should a power washer be used to clean teak furniture.
If you wish to retain the golden-brown color of new teak we also offer
Gloster Teak Sealer. Application of Teak Sealer will not affect the strength or longevity of the furniture in any way, just its appearance. If you elect to use Teak Sealer you will be embarking on a regular maintenance programme as Teak Sealer needs to be regularly re-applied to provide continuous protection.
If you intend to store your furniture over the winter, we recommend that you do so in a water-tight garden shed or garage. However, we advise that you do not move teak furniture from the garden straight into a heated indoor room for storage, as the sharp differences in temperature and humidity may cause the wood to split.
To protect teak surfaces from staining and to help maintain the silver-grey patina on weathered teak, we recommend using
Gloster Teak & Upholstery Stain Protector. Gloster Teak Protector creates an almost invisible shield which helps to prevent food (coffee, ketchup, red wine, olive oil, etc.) penetrating into the teak and causing unsightly stains. Teak Protector also helps protects the wood against the ingress of moisture, the adhesion of dirt and prevents mildew growth.
Cleaning Gloster Teak & Upholstery Cleaner - 25oz / 750ml plastic bottle with trigger-action head. Water-based formula - both non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Cleans and brightens weathered teak in one, simple step. Each bottle is supplied complete with a special applicator pad. Teak is a beautiful golden brown, close- grained hardwood with a high natural oil content. Exceptionally hard wearing, highly resistant to rotting and almost impervious to the effects of sun, rain, frost or snow, teak is the first choice timber for outdoor furniture. It is recommended that you clean teak furniture thoroughly once or twice a year.
Protecting Gloster Teak & Upholstery Stain Protector - 33oz / 1 liter plastic bottle. Water-based formula - both non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Special formula repels water and moisture. Helps prevent stains from food and drinks. Use on weathered teak to retain the silver-grey patina. Each bottle is supplied complete with a special applicator cloth. It is recommended that you treat your teak furniture with Teak Protector at least once every year. Tabletops should be treated more often.
Sealing Gloster Teak Sealer - 25oz / 750ml plastic bottle with trigger-action head. Water-based formula - both non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Cleans and brightens weathered teak in one, simple step. Each bottle is supplied complete with a special applicator pad. It is recommended that you treat your furniture with Teak Sealer at least once a year.
Protective Cover Material PropertiesGloster protective covers are made from Weathermax, a heavy duty 100% solution dyed polyester material. Weathermax is a performance cover material combining UV resistance, water resistance, breathability and durability. The ability of the fabric to breathe is essential in reducing dampness, heat build-up and condensation. This in turn reduces the chances of problems such as mold or mildew becoming present on the furniture underneath. We also add a ‘breather’ layer of Dacron where the covers are in contact with flat teak parts like table tops to further aid breathability.
To ensure optimal performance, in particular when upholstered furniture and/or cushions are being covered for an extended period (i.e. over the winter), all items of furniture should be completely dry before being covered. For cushions we recommend fully drying the cushions indoors before fitting covers. This is to ensure that all moisture is removed from the cushion interior.
With typical attention to detail, each cover is tailored to the unique dimensions of our product, ensuring a perfect fit. As well as covers for individual items, we also offer covers for all our stacking chairs, meaning that a single cover can be used for a stack of four chairs. For several of our modular furniture collections, adjacent covers are designed to zip and Velcro together so the entire set can be covered without the need to separate each item. All covers feature either a strap-and-clip connector or ties to ensure security against wind.
Cleaning Protective Covers- 1. Brush off loose dirt and debris
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- 2. Prepare a cleaning solution of 1:16 mild detergent to lukewarm water (less than 100°F/40°C).
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- 3. Spray or sponge on the cleaning solution and use a soft bristle brush to clean the cover.
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- 4. Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue.
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- 5. Allow cover to air dry
Woven Furniture Material Properties
Gloster woven furniture is made from a polyethylene (PE) plastic material. Practical and soft to the touch, this material has many benefits including high suppleness, tear resistance, UV resistance and weather resistance. The colored material is extruded through a shaped die to form the final fiber shape. The finished extruded and through-dyed wicker is completely weatherproof as well as being colorfast, extremely hard wearing and easy to clean. The wicker is resistant to chlorine, salt water, tanning lotions and oils. Gloster uses a more textured, thicker type of wicker than most other manufacturers. Although this wicker is harder to weave, it is stronger, more resistant to tension, tearing and splitting, wears better and gives a more natural feel to the product.
The basic structure of a woven item is made from a fully welded, powder-coated aluminum frame. Once welded, the entire frame is electro-statically powder coated in a tough, smooth finish that matches the color of the wicker. This way, the frame is fully protected against corrosion and becomes virtually invisible once it has been woven over. Woven furniture can be left outside all year round and is able to withstand temperatures from -20°C to +55°C (-4°F to 131°F). When very cold, the weave will become stiffer than normal and when very hot, the weave will become more elastic. However, it will always revert to its normal elasticity, once the ambient temperature stabilizes.
Cleaning Woven Furniture
- We recommend that woven furniture is regularly cleaned using a solution of 1:16 mild detergent to lukewarm water (less than 100°F/40°C). Thoroughly soak the wicker with the cleaning solution and gently agitate with a soft bristle brush to remove any ingrained dirt. Once suitably cleaned, wash away the cleaning solution using cold water. A pressure hose on a low setting is acceptable to use on woven furniture, but avoid any teak components, as the high pressure can erode the surface of the timber. It is important to remove all traces of foam from the wicker, as any left-over foam will leave a residue in the gaps in-between the weave which can then attract dirt. Dry any splashes on metal or teak frames to avoid water stains.
Repairing Woven Furniture
Scratch marks or abrasion to the edges of the fibre can be repaired by very briefly and carefully applying heat (i.e. the flame of a cigarette lighter) to the affected area and rubbing along the length of the fiber with a piece of hard cardboard to restore a smooth edge. This can be a tricky procedure to perfect, so we suggest you try a couple of test runs on an area of wicker that is hidden from view – i.e. on the underside of the furniture. If fibers are accidentally cut or broken, a piece of furniture can generally be repaired successfully by removing the broken section of wicker and carefully weaving in a new strip.
